STOP CONGRESS FROM PASSING AMERICA'S DEBT ONTO VETERANS
“10 for 10” plan is a breach of faith with America’s military and veteran families
July 27, 2011
America’s all-volunteer military has shouldered a multi-theater war all by themselves for almost 10 years. They did so without question, and often with tremendous sacrifice to themselves and their families.
The nation is now in another crisis — a debt crisis — one that could have serious repercussions on a military at war and a veterans' population that has already sacrificed much for the nation. This is because some in Congress now want America’s military and her veterans to shoulder more of the national debt instead of debating and enacting meaningful fiscal reforms.
In recent months, leaders in Congress have discussed cutting or eliminating 10 benefits affecting military members, veterans and their families. This “10 for 10” plan — to cut 10 specific benefits to pay for 10 years of war — is a breach of faith with America’s military and veteran families, and the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. and its Auxiliaries is calling upon his 2 million members to fight it.
“Our military and veterans have earned each of the 10 benefits Congress is proposing to cut,” said VFW National Commander Richard L. Eubank, a retired Marine and Vietnam combat veteran from Eugene, Ore.
“Our nation broke a similar promise to her World War I veterans,” he said. “It took the VFW to lead thousands of them in a march on Washington until Congress made the responsible choice to support them. The VFW wouldn’t stand for broken promises then and we won't stand for it now.”
The 10 ways Congress is targeting military and veterans’ benefits during today’s difficult fiscal times are to:
- Increase healthcare premiums for military retirees on TRICARE
- Increase pharmaceutical fees for troops, families and retirees
- Eliminate presumptive service-connected conditions for disabled and ill veterans
- Lock out or increase fees for Department of Veterans Affairs Priority Groups 7 and 8 veterans
- Reduce cost-of-living allowances
- Freeze military pay
- End government subsidies to military commissaries
- Eliminate Department of Defense elementary schools stateside
- Eliminate the 20-year military retirement plan
- Eliminate DOD tuition reimbursement programs for service members
While Congress publicly debates raising the nation’s debt ceiling, the VFW is concerned many of the proposed cuts being discussed were made behind closed doors. Eubank said his organization recognizes that the nation must make difficult fiscal decisions, but the programs and benefits provided to veterans and military families were prepaid in full through their honorable service and sacrifice.
“Unlike other government-funded entitlement programs, veterans earned their benefits by making a national commitment that 99 percent of other Americans are simply unwilling to make,” said Eubank. “To ask these same men and women to sacrifice more is simply unconscionable.”
The VFW also believes that cutting the 10 benefits could have tremendous impact on military recruiting and readiness, and threaten the future viability of the all-volunteer force. Healthcare, education, a retirement system and family programs are critical factors in retaining talented personnel in a low-paying and extremely dangerous profession.
Eubank said as the debate over fiscal responsibility continues to unfold in Washington, the VFW will work to ensure that military and veterans’ benefits remain intact.
In the coming days, the VFW will explain the details and repercussions of each proposed “10 for 10” cut on the VFW website,
as well as continue to put pressure on Congress to ensure proposed fiscal reforms do not negatively affect troops, veterans or their
families.
Join the effort and make your voice heard by calling, writing, or e-mailing your members of Congress. To learn how, visit VFW’s Capwiz page at http://capwiz.com/vfw/dbq/officials/.
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